SIMPLE ANCHOR CLOSURE
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- MX · MX
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- NIAGARA BOTTLING LLC
- Filing Date
- 2023-02-01
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-19
Smart Images
Figure MX433939B0 
Figure MX433939B1
Abstract
Description
- 1 SIMPLE ANCHOR CLOSURE CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application refers to and claims the priority benefit of U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 16 / 988,484, filed on August 7, 2020, the full content of which is incorporated herein by reference. Field of Invention The modalities of this exhibition relate generally to the field of plastic bottles and preforms. More specifically, the modalities of this exhibition relate to an apparatus and methods for closing a container, including a simple anchor configured to retain the closure attached to a plastic container after the closure's seal has been removed to access the contents within the container. Background of the Invention Plastic containers have been used as a replacement for glass or metal containers in beverage packaging for several decades. The most common plastic used in beverage container manufacturing today is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Containers made of PET are transparent, thin-walled, and have the ability to maintain their shape by withstanding the force exerted on the container walls by their contents. The advantages of PET containers include lighter weight and less breakage compared to glass, as well as lower overall costs when both production and transportation are taken into account. PET resins are also reasonably priced and easy to process. PET containers are typically manufactured using a process that involves blow molding plastic preforms that have been created by injection molding PET resin. - 2 The advantages of plastic containers include lighter weight and less breakage compared to glass, and lower overall costs when both production and transportation are taken into account. As such, there is ongoing interest in making plastic containers as lightweight as possible to maximize cost savings in both transportation and manufacturing by producing and using containers that contain less plastic. A PET container for storing liquids typically includes a base that extends to a gripping portion suitable for affixing a label, as well as providing a place to hold the container. The gripping portion usually transitions into a rim, which connects to a bell. The bell's diameter generally decreases as it extends upward from the rim to the neck and the finishing portion. The finishing portion is designed to receive a closure, such as a bottle cap, to seal the contents inside the plastic container. In many cases, the closure includes a tamper evidence band that runs around the perimeter of the finished portion. The tamper evidence band typically remains in place on the finished portion when an end user loosens the closure to access the contents of the container. As such, the tamper evidence band and the finished portion work together to indicate to the end user whether the closure has been loosened after installation by the manufacturer. One difficulty that can be associated with the closures typically installed on plastic containers is that once the closure is removed, it is detachable from the container. This can result in the closure being misplaced or lost after removal, making it difficult to reseal any unfinished liquid contents. In some cases, misplaced or lost closures can contribute to plastic waste polluting the environment. Therefore, there is a desire to reattach or tie them. -3 closures for plastic containers to reduce the environmental impact of misplaced closures while maintaining the convenience and pleasure often associated with drinking beverages from plastic containers. The modalities described herein provide container closures that include anchors configured to keep the closures attached to plastic containers after the closures have been broken to access the contents within the containers. IVIA / a / ¿U¿ó / UU 1I Summary of the Invention An apparatus and methods are provided for a container closure for sealing contents within a container. The container closure comprises a closure portion that engages a tamper evidence band by means of a simple anchor. The anchor is configured to maintain the closure portion engaged with the tamper evidence band. The closure portion is threaded onto a finishing portion of the container and seals the contents within the container. The tamper evidence band remains engaged with the finishing portion when the closure portion is withdrawn from the finishing portion. A multitude of thin connections between the tamper evidence band and the closure portion break when the closure portion is untightened from the finishing portion. The anchor remains intact and allows the closure portion to tilt away from the finishing portion.In some embodiments, the tamper evidence band may also include a split that allows it to be divided into two portions that remain attached to the closure portion only by the anchor. As such, the tamper evidence band, once broken and separated from the closure portion, can provide an indication that the container closure has had its seal removed from the finished portion after installation by a manufacturer. -4In an exemplary embodiment, a closure for sealing the contents within the interior of a container comprises: a closure portion for threading onto the finished portion of the container; a tamper evidence band for attaching to the finished portion; and an anchor for keeping the closure portion attached to the tamper evidence band. In another exemplary embodiment, a multiplicity of thin connections joins the tamper evidence band to the closure portion and are configured to break when the closure portion is loosened from the finishing portion. In another exemplary embodiment, the tamper evidence band is configured to remain coupled with the finishing portion when the closure portion is withdrawn from the finishing portion, thereby causing the thin connections to break and allowing the closure portion to separate from the tamper evidence band. In another exemplary embodiment, the anchor is configured such that only the thin connections break during loosening of the closure portion. In another exemplary embodiment, the anchor is formed during injection molding, allowing the material comprising the closure to remain disposed between a pair of adjacent thin connections. In another exemplary embodiment, the anchor comprises a single piece of material extending between the tamper evidence strip and the closure portion. In another exemplary embodiment, the anchor is configured to retain the closure portion attached to the finishing portion after the closure portion has had its seal removed from the finishing portion. In another exemplary embodiment, the anchor is configured to flex when the closure portion is tilted relative to the tamper evidence strip. In another exemplary embodiment, the anchor comprises a relatively thick portion of plastic configured to resist breakage during tilting of the closure portion away from the finishing portion. In an exemplary modality, a method for a closure to seal the -5Contents within an inner container comprise: configuring a closure portion to be threaded onto the finished portion of the container; configuring a tamper evidence band to be coupled to the finished portion; and joining the closure portion and the tamper evidence band by means of an anchor. In another exemplary embodiment, the connection includes configuring the anchor to retain the closing portion attached to the finishing portion after the sealing portion has been removed from the finishing portion. In another exemplary embodiment, the connection includes configuring the anchor to flex when the closing portion is tilted relative to the tamper evidence strip. In another exemplary embodiment, the connection includes extending a single piece of material comprising the anchor between the tamper evidence strip and the closing portion. In another exemplary embodiment, the joint includes coupling the closure portion and the tamper evidence band by means of multiple thin connections configured to break when the closure portion is loosened from the finishing portion. In another exemplary embodiment, the joint includes configuring the anchor such that only the thin connections break during loosening of the closure portion. In another exemplary embodiment, the anchor configuration includes injection molding such that the material comprising the closure fills one or more spaces between adjacent thin connections. In one exemplary embodiment, a method for a closure comprises: loosening a threaded closure portion on a finished portion of the vessel; breaking a multiplicity of thin connections arranged between the closure portion and the tamper evidence band attached to the finished portion; and bending the anchor joining the closure portion and the tamper evidence band. In another exemplary embodiment, bending the anchor includes tilting the portion of -6 closing away from the finishing portion. The description provides, in one aspect, a closure for sealing contents within a container. The closure, comprising a closure portion, defines a top closure wall and a side closure wall extending from the top closure wall. The closure portion is configured to be withdrawn from the finished portion of the container by rotatably disengaging from the threads of the finished portion. A tamper evidence band is configured to remain attached to the finished portion when the closure portion is withdrawn. Multiple thin connections join the tamper evidence band to the closure portion. These thin connections are configured to break when the closure portion is withdrawn from the container. An anchor extends from the closure portion to the tamper evidence band.the anchor being configured to keep the closure portion attached to the tamper evidence band when the closure portion is removed from the container. In some aspects, the thin connections are configured to separate from the tamper evidence band and remain attached to the closure portion to allow the closure portion to separate from the tamper evidence band. In some aspects, the anchor and each of the thin connections have a cross-sectional area when viewed in a plane parallel to the top wall of the closure. In some aspects, the cross-sectional area of the anchor is at least twice as large as the cross-sectional area of each of the thin connections. In some aspects, the cross-sectional area of the anchor ranges from 0.4 mm² to 6 mm², and the cross-sectional area of each of the thin connections ranges from 0.05 mm² to 0.5 mm². In some aspects, the cross-sectional area of the anchor ranges from 0.4 mm² to 0.6 mm² and the cross-sectional area of each of the thin connections ranges from 0.1 mm² to 0.3 mm². In some aspects, the anchor has a width that is at least twice as wide as any of the thin connections. In some aspects, the anchor has a width ranging from 0.5 mm to 12 mm and each of the thin connections has a width ranging from 0.1 mm to 1 mm, and the width of the anchor is greater than the width of each of the thin connections. In some aspects, the closing portion has a circumference ranging from 70 mm to 100 mm. In some aspects, the width of the anchor ranges from 1 percent to 20 percent of the anchor's circumference, and the width of each of the thin connections ranges from 0.1 percent to 2 percent of the circumference.In some aspects, the anchor width ranges from 1 percent to 3 percent of the circumference, and the width of each of the thin connections ranges from 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent of the circumference. In other aspects, the anchor width ranges from 1 mm to 5 mm, and each of the thin connections widths from 0.2 mm to 1 mm, with the anchor width being greater than the width of each of the thin connections. In some aspects, the thin connections are configured to break when a force above a predetermined first threshold is applied to the closing portion, and this first predetermined threshold ranges from 2 to 15 N. In other aspects, the anchor is configured to remain attached to the closing portion when the force applied to the closing portion falls below a second predetermined threshold that is greater than the first predetermined threshold.In some aspects, the second default threshold is in the range of 10 to 25 N, and the second default threshold is higher than the first default threshold. In some aspects, the anchor comprises a single piece of material that extends between the tamper evidence band and the closure portion. In some aspects, the closure has a melt flow index in the range of 2 to 18. In some aspects, the portion. The -8 closure has a first flow index and the tamper evidence band has a second flow index that is less than the first flow index. The device provides, in one aspect, a closure for sealing contents within a container. The closure comprises a closure portion having internal threads configured to rotatably engage and disengage from the threads of a finishing portion. The internal threads have a thread pitch of less than 2 millimeters to reduce the distance the closure portion travels during disengagement from the threads of the finishing portion. The tamper evidence is configured to remain attached to the finishing portion when the closure portion is removed from the finishing portion, and the anchor connects the closure portion to the tamper evidence band. The anchor is configured to retain the closure portion attached to the tamper evidence band when the closure portion is disengaged from the threads of the finishing portion. In some aspects, the thread pitch ranges from 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. In some aspects, the closing portion has a height ranging from 6 mm to 8 mm. Other aspects of the exhibition will become evident when considering the detailed description and accompanying drawings. Brief Description of the Figures of the Invention The drawings refer to modalities of the present exhibition where: Figure 1 illustrates a side view of an example of a container suitable for storing liquid. Figure 2 illustrates a side plan view of an exemplary modality of the finishing portion that is configured to rotatably engage with a closure to seal the contents inside the container. -9 Figure 3 illustrates a bottom isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a simple anchor vessel closure that can be threaded onto the finishing portion shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of the single anchor vessel closure of Figure 3, taken along line 4-4. Figure 5 illustrates an anchored configuration of an exemplary modality of a simple anchor vessel closure that can occur when the vessel closure loosens from a vessel. Figure 6 illustrates an exemplary use environment where the single anchor vessel closure of Figure 5 was installed on a finished portion of a vessel and then subsequently loosened and tilted away from the finished portion. Although the present embodiment is subject to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described herein in detail. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular forms shown, but rather, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives that fall within the spirit and scope of the present embodiment. Detailed Description of the Invention The following description sets forth numerous specific details to provide a complete understanding of the present disclosure. It will be evident, however, to a person skilled in the art that the invention described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other cases, specific numerical references, such as "first container," may be made. However, the specific numerical reference should not be interpreted as a literal sequential order, but rather as indicating that the first container is distinct from a second container. Therefore, the details MA / a / ZUZJ / UUl I The 10 specific items shown are examples only. Specific details may vary and are still contemplated within the spirit and scope of this specification. The term "coupled" is defined as being connected directly to the component or indirectly to the component through another component. Furthermore, as used herein, the terms "close to," "approximately," or "substantially" for any numerical value or range indicate a suitable dimensional tolerance that permits the part or assembly of components to function for its intended purpose as described herein. In general, there is a desire to attach or anchor closures to plastic containers to reduce the environmental impact of lost closures while maintaining the convenience and enjoyment often associated with drinking beverages from plastic containers. A common difficulty with closures on plastic containers is that once the closure is removed, it can become misplaced or lost. Lost closures make it difficult to reseal unfinished liquid contents within the containers and can contribute to plastic waste polluting the environment. The modalities described herein provide container closures that include anchors configured to keep the closures attached to plastic containers after the closures have been removed to access the contents. Figure 1 illustrates a side view of an example of a container 100 typically used for storing liquid contents, such as water, juice, and pressurized contents. The container 100 comprises a base 104 extending to a gripping portion 108. In some embodiments, the base 104 may be of the petaloid variety, although other base configurations may be incorporated into the container 100 without limitation. The gripping portion 108 comprises a plurality of gripping portion edges 112 (i.e., sidewall edges). As illustrated in Figure 1, the plurality of gripping portion edges 112 generally vary in depth and are either twisted or angled. - 11 around gripping portion 108. A label portion 116 connects to gripping portion 108 and comprises one or more label panel edges (not shown). Label panel portion 116 transitions to a flange 124, which connects to a bell 128.In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, the bell 128 comprises a plurality of design features 132. In other embodiments, however, the bell 128 may include several other design features, or it may be plain and generally unadorned. The bell 128 connects to a neck 136, which connects to a finishing portion 140. As shown in Figure 1, the bell 128 comprises a diameter that generally decreases as the bell 128 extends upward from the flange 124 to the neck 136 and the finishing portion 140. The finishing portion 140 is adapted to receive a closure, such as, by way of non-limiting example, a lid or container closure 144, to seal the contents within the container 100. The finishing portion 140 generally defines an opening leading to the interior of the container 100 to hold a beverage or other contents, such as any of a variety of carbonated drinks.The finishing portion 140 can be for a variety of carbonated beverages (CSD) or can be configured to receive closures suitable for sealing non-carbonated contents inside the container 100. In addition, in some embodiments, the finishing portion 140 can be configured to retain hot-fill contents with the container or can be configured to retain a gas, such as nitrogen gas (N2), inside the container, without limitation. As shown in Figure 1, a tamper evidence closure 144, such as a bottle cap, can be threaded onto the finishing portion 140. The closure 144 generally includes internal threads configured to engage with threads arranged on the finishing portion 140, as described herein. During tightening of the closure 144 onto the finishing portion 140, a sealing element of the closure 144 extends into the opening of the ML / a / ZUZ J / UU14Z I - 12 container 100 and enters into a pressed relationship with the finishing portion 140 so that the contents can be sealed inside container 100. Continuing with reference to Figure 1, the closure 144 includes a tamper evidence band 148 to provide an indication of whether the closure 144 has loosened after being installed by a manufacturer. In some embodiments, the tamper evidence band 148 may be attached to the closure 144 by multiple thin connections. The tamper evidence band 148 may include a cam configured to engage permanently with a tamper evidence protrusion on the finishing portion 140 during loosening of the closure 144. Once the closure 144 is installed on the finishing portion 140 by a manufacturer and subsequently loosens the closure 144 by an end user, the cam engages with the tamper evidence protrusion, breaking the thin connections between the tamper evidence band 148 and the closure 144.Tamper evidence band 148 remains in place on the tamper evidence protrusion after the closure 144 is removed from the container 100. As such, tamper evidence band 148 cooperates with the tamper evidence protrusion to indicate to the end user whether or not the closure 144 has been loosened after being installed by the manufacturer. Figure 2 illustrates a side plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a finishing portion 164 configured to rotatably engage with the closure 144 to seal the contents within the interior of the container 100. The finishing portion 164 comprises a cylindrical body originating from an opening 172 into the interior of the container 100 and extending to include a tamper evidence protrusion 176 that joins a neck portion 136 of the container 100. The finishing portion 164 is further characterized by the presence of one or more threads 180 configured to provide a means for attaching a closure. - 13 such as the closure 144 of Figure 1, to the container 100. As such, the threads 180 are configured to rotatably engage with similar threads arranged within the closure 144 to seal the contents within the container 100. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, each of the threads 180 generally extends along a section of the circumference of the finished portion 164 and approaches the tamper evidence protrusion 176. Therefore, when the threads of the closure 144 engage with the threads 180, and the closure 144 is rotated clockwise, the closure 144 advances toward the tamper evidence protrusion 176. Continuing with reference to Figure 2, each of the one or more threads 180 begins at a thread start 184 and extends along an angular section of the finishing portion 164 to a thread end 188. The thread start 184 is configured to guide a thread comprising the closure 144 into a space, or valley 190, between adjacent threads 180 to thread the closure 144 to the finishing portion 164. Furthermore, the threads 180 are generally arranged side by side, separated by valleys 190, and evenly spaced around the circumference of the finishing portion 164. In some embodiments where three threads 180 are arranged around the finishing portion 164, the thread starts 184 of the adjacent threads 180 are substantially spaced at 120-degree intervals around the circumference of the finishing portion. 164.As will be seen, however, more or less than three 180 threads can be incorporated into the 164 finishing portion without deviating beyond the scope of this exposition. Figure 3 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a single-anchor vessel closure (hereafter referred to as a closure) 200 that can be threaded onto the finishing portion 164 shown in Figure 2. The illustrated embodiment of the closure 200 includes a closure portion 204 that couples to a tamper evidence band 208 by means of a single anchor 212 and a multiplicity of thin connections. - 14 216. The closure portion 204 defines a top closure wall 205 and a side closure wall 206 extending from the top closure wall 205. Upon removal of the closure portion 204 from the container 100, through a force applied to the closure portion 204 (e.g., the closure portion 204 is rotated) above a predetermined first threshold, the thin connections 216 break, allowing the tamper evidence band 208 to partially separate from the closure portion 204 while the anchor 212 retains the tamper evidence band 208 attached to the closure portion 204. In some embodiments, the anchor 212 may include regions of reduced cross-sectional area (e.g., indentations, recesses, thinner regions, a smooth contour, etc.), be discontinuous (e.g., formed from multiple pieces), or have various cross-sectional areas (e.g., rectangular, circular, etc.) to increase the flexibility of anchor 212.The construction of the closure 200 keeps the anchor 212 attached to the closure portion 204 when the force applied to the closure portion 204 is below a second predetermined threshold, but breaks the thin connections 216 when the force is above the first predetermined threshold, which is less than the second predetermined threshold. For example, the first predetermined threshold may be in the range of 2 to 15 Newtons (N), and the second predetermined threshold may be in the range of 10 N to 25 N. In other embodiments, the second predetermined threshold may correspond to established federal requirements for tethered closures. In some embodiments, such as the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, the tamper evidence band 208 may further include a split 220 that allows the tamper evidence band 208 to be divided into two portions that remain attached to the closure portion 204 only by means of the anchor 212.As such, the tamper evidence strip 208, once broken and separated from the closure portion 204, provides an observational indication that the closure 200 has had its seal removed from the finishing portion 164 after it has been installed by a manufacturer. - 15 With reference to Figure 4, the closure 200 is configured to be threaded to the finishing portion 164 shown in Figure 2. The closure 200 includes internal threads 224 that are configured to engage with the threads 180 of the finishing portion 164, as described herein. As such, the threads 224 extend into the valleys 190 that extend around the finishing portion 164. During tightening of the closure 200 onto the finishing portion 164, a sealing element 228 of the closure 200 can extend into the opening 172 of the finishing portion 164 and enter into a pressed relationship with the finishing portion 164 so that the contents can be sealed inside the container 100. A thread pitch 226 is also defined between adjacent threads 224 on the closure 200. For example, the thread pitch 226 is the distance between a crest or center region of adjacent threads 224. The thread pitch 226 can be less than 2 inches.In the illustrated embodiment, the thread pitch ranges from 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm, reducing the amount of travel required by the locking portion 204 during tightening and loosening. The shallow thread pitch 226 also reduces the overall height H1 of the locking portion 204. In the illustrated embodiment, the height of the lock ranges from 6 mm to 8 mm. In other words, the thread pitch 226 is shallow and shorter compared to other locking portions known in the art. As a result, the amount of stress imparted on the anchor 212 is reduced. As shown in Figure 3, a plurality of knots 232 can be arranged on top of the locking portion 204 and configured to facilitate gripping the locking portion 204 during tightening and loosening of the lock 200 on the finishing portion 164. The closure 200 and tamper evidence strip 208 can be formed from high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Due to the lightweight construction of the closure portion 204 and the shallow thread pitch 226, the closure portion 204 can be supported by the anchor 212 when the closure portion 204 is withdrawn from the finishing portion 164. In the illustrated embodiment, the tamper evidence strip - Tamper evidence band 208 has a height H2 of 2 mm. In other forms, the height H2 may be in the range of 1 mm to 4 mm. Increasing the height of tamper evidence band 208 effectively increases the rigidity of tamper evidence band 208 and the ability to support the closure portion 204. The HDPE material of the 200 closure (e.g., the closure portion 204, the thin connectors 216, the anchor 212, and the tamper evidence band 208) has a melt flow index (MFI). In general, the higher the MFI, the more flexible the closure. In the illustrated configuration, the closure has an MFI of 11. In other configurations, the closure may have an MFI ranging from 2 to 18. In some configurations, the closure portion 204 may have a first MFI, and the tamper evidence band 208 may have a second MFI. In some configurations, the second MFI of the tamper evidence band 208 is lower than the first MFI of the closure portion 204. In other words, the tamper evidence band 208 may be stiffer or firmer compared to the closure portion 204. As mentioned above, the multiple thin connections 216 can be configured to break when the locking portion 204 is loosened from the finishing portion 164, such as during the opening of the container 100 to access the contents within it. As shown in Figures 3-4, the tamper evidence band 208 includes a cam 236 that interferes with a flat lower portion 240 of the tamper evidence shoulder 176 (see Figure 2). The cam 236 generally comprises a shoulder, or similar structure, extending around the inner circumference of the tamper evidence band 208 and supported by multiple angled lower surfaces 244 configured to facilitate the passage of the tamper evidence band 208 over a rounded upper portion 248 (see Figure 2). ML / a / ZUZ J / UU14Z I Figure 2) highlighting evidence of improper handling 176 during the - 17Installation of the closure 200 in the vessel 100. As shown in Figure 4, the cam 236 includes a relatively flat upper surface 252 that can be configured to interfere with the flat lower surface 240 (see Figure 2) of the tamper evidence shoulder 176 and thus contributes to separating the tamper evidence strip 208 and the closure portion 204 during loosening of the closure 200 in the finishing portion 164. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 3-4, the tamper evidence strip 208 includes a division 220 comprising a break, or separation, in the tamper evidence strip 208 that is connected only by a cam bridge 256 and a thin bridge 260. The cam bridge 256 and the thin bridge 260 maintain a connection between the ends 264 of the tamper evidence strip 208, and thus impart continuity to the tamper evidence strip 208. As shown in Figure 4, the cam bridge 256 and the thin bridge 260 have cross-sectional areas that are much smaller than the cross-sectional area of the tamper evidence strip 208.It is therefore envisaged that the cam bridge 256 and the thin bridge 260 are strong enough to remain intact during the installation of the closure 200 on the finishing portion 164 while allowing the split 220 to separate during the removal of the closure 200 from the vessel 100. Figure 5 illustrates an anchored configuration of an exemplary modality of a single-anchor vessel closure 280 that can occur when the vessel closure 280 is loosened from a vessel, such as vessel 100. The vessel closure 280 includes a closure portion 284 that engages with a tamper evidence band 288 by means of a single anchor 292 and a multiplicity of thin connections 216. The closure portion 284 also defines a top closure wall 205 and a side closure wall 206 that extends from the top closure wall 205. When the closure 284 is removed from vessel 100, the thin connections 216 break, allowing the closure to be released. MA / a / ZUZ J / UU1I - 18 The tamper evidence band 288 partially separates from the closure portion 284 while the anchor 292 keeps the tamper evidence band 288 attached to the closure portion 284, as shown in Figure 4. Unlike the tamper evidence band 208, shown in Figure 3, the tamper evidence band 288 of Figure 5 comprises a continuous plastic ring suitable for coupling the closure portion 284 to the container 100 solely by means of the anchor 292. The anchor 292 is contemplated to comprise a relatively thick portion of plastic configured to resist breakage during tilting of the closure portion 284 away from the finishing portion 164 of the container 100. It is generally envisaged that the anchor 292 can be configured similarly to the tamper evidence band 288, such that only the thin connections 216 break during loosening of the closure portion 284. For example, in some embodiments where the vessel closure 280 is formed by injection molding, the anchor 292 can be formed by allowing the material comprising the vessel closure 280 to remain disposed between a pair of adjacent thin connections 216. In one exemplary embodiment, a mold for injection molding the vessel closure 280 can be configured to allow the material comprising the vessel closure 280 to fill one or more spaces 268 (see Figure 3) between the thin connections 216. As such, one or more protrusions comprising the mold that form the spaces 268 can be omitted at the location of the mold that forms the anchor 292, as shown in Figure 5.Furthermore, in some embodiments where a knife or other type of blade is used to form the spaces 268 after injection molding the vessel closure 280, the blade may be configured to avoid cutting the vessel closure 280 at the location of the anchor 292. It should be understood, therefore, that the anchor 292 is generally formed leaving intact material comprising the vessel closure 280 within one or more spaces 268 between the thin connections 216, and therefore the anchor 292 may. - 19. Formed by means of various diverse techniques without limitation, and without deviating beyond the spirit and scope of the present exposition. In other words, the closure 280 and the tamper evidence band 288 each have a circumference, and a portion of the circumference is devoid of the thin connections 216 and the anchor 292. In the illustrated embodiment, the circumference of the closure 280 and the tamper evidence band 288 is 83 mm. In other embodiments, the circumference may be in the range of 70 mm to 100 mm. The thin fittings 216 have a width W1, and the anchor 292 has a width W2. In the illustrated embodiment, the width W1 of the thin fittings 216 is 0.85 mm, and the width W2 of the anchor 292 is 2 mm. Therefore, the width W2 of the anchor 292 is at least twice as large as the width W1 of the thin fittings 216. Furthermore, the thickness or depth of the thin fittings 216 and the anchor 292 is 0.25 mm. As such, the anchor 292 and each of the thin fittings 216 have a cross-sectional area when viewed in a plane parallel to the top wall 205 of the closure when the closure portion 284 is secured to the finishing portion 164 of the vessel. In the illustrated embodiment, the cross-sectional area of one of the thin connections 216 is 0.21 mm2 and the cross-sectional area of the anchor 292 is 0.5 mm2.Therefore, the cross-sectional area of anchor 292 is at least twice as large as the cross-sectional area of the thin connections 216. In other embodiments, the width W1 of the 216 thin connections can range from 0.1 mm to 0.4 mm, and the width W2 of the 292 anchor can range from 0.5 mm to 12 mm. In other embodiments, the width W1 of the 216 thin connections can range from 0.4 mm to 1 mm, and the width W2 of the 292 anchor can range from 1.5 mm to 12 mm. The 216 thin connections and the 292 anchor can also have a thickness ranging from 0.1 mm to 1 mm. In some embodiments, the thickness of the 292 anchor can be greater than the thickness of the 216 thin connections. In these additional embodiments, the 216 thin connections can have an area -20 cross-section in a range of 0.05 mm2 to 0.5 nm2 and anchor 292 can have a cross-sectional area in a range of 0.4 mm2 to 6 mm2. In addition, the W2 width of anchor 292 is in the range of 1 percent to 20 percent of the circumference of tamper evidence band 208 and closure portion 280. The W1 width of thin connectors 216 is in the range of 0.1 percent to 2 percent of the circumference of tamper evidence band 208 and closure portion 280. In the illustrated modality, the W2 width of anchor 292 is 2 percent of the circumference of tamper evidence band 208 and closure portion 280, and the W1 width of thin connectors 216 is 1 percent of the circumference of tamper evidence band 208 and closure portion 280. Figure 6 illustrates an exemplary usage environment where the vessel closure 280 was installed on a finishing portion 164 (see Figure 2) of a vessel 298 and subsequently loosened from the finishing portion 164 of the vessel 298. During installation of the vessel closure 280 onto the vessel 298, the rounded upper portion 248 of the tamper evidence shoulder 176 facilitates the passage of the tamper evidence strip 288 over the tamper evidence shoulder 176. As described herein, the flat lower portion 240 of the tamper evidence shoulder 176 retains the tamper evidence strip 288 positioned beneath the tamper evidence shoulder 176 during loosening of the closure portion 284.As such, applying a force to the closing portion loosens the closing portion 284 in the finishing portion 164, causing the thin connections 216 to break, thereby causing the vessel closure 280 to assume the anchored configuration treated in relation to Figure 5. As shown in Figure 6, when the closing portion 284 is removed from the threads 180 in the finishing portion 164, the anchor 292 bends and allows the closing portion 284 to tilt relative to the band of - 21 evidence of improper handling 288. As such, the anchor 292 keeps the closure portion 284 attached to the container 298 after the closure portion 284 has had its seal removed from the finishing portion 164 to access the contents within the container 298. It is envisaged that keeping the closure portion 284 attached to the container 298 will substantially eliminate instances of the closure portion 284 becoming lost, thereby encouraging the end user to reattach the closure portion 284 to the finishing portion 164 to store the unfinished contents within the container 298, as well as preventing the closure portion 284 from contributing to plastic waste being deposited in the environment. Although the invention has been described in terms of particular variations and illustrative figures, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited to the variations or figures described. Furthermore, where the methods and steps described above indicate certain events occurring in a certain order, those skilled in the art will recognize that the order of certain steps may be modified and that such modifications are in accordance with variations of the invention. Moreover, some of the steps may be performed simultaneously in a parallel process where possible, as well as sequentially as described above. To the extent that variations of the invention exist that are within the spirit of the disclosure or equivalent to the inventions in the claims, it is intended that this patent also covers such variations.Therefore, the present exposition should be understood as not limited by the specific modalities described herein, but only by the scope of the attached claims.
Claims
1. A closure for sealing the contents within the interior of a container, the closure comprising: a closure portion defining an upper closure wall and a side closure wall extending from the upper closure wall, the closure portion being configured to be withdrawn from a finished portion of the container by rotatably disengaging from the threads of the finished portion; a tamper evidence band configured to remain attached to the finished portion when the closure portion is withdrawn from the finished portion; a multiplicity of thin connections joining the tamper evidence band to the closure portion, the thin connections being configured to break when the closure portion is withdrawn from the container;and an anchor extending from the closure portion to the tamper evidence band, the anchor being configured to keep the closure portion attached to the tamper evidence band when the closure portion is removed from the container.
2. The closure of claim 1, wherein the thin connections are configured to separate from the tamper evidence strip and remain attached to the closure portion to allow the closure portion to separate from the tamper evidence strip.
3. The closure of claim 1, wherein the anchor and each of the thin connections have a cross-sectional area when viewed in a plane parallel to the top wall of the closure.
4. The closure of claim 3, wherein the cross-sectional area of the anchor is at least twice as large as the cross-sectional area of each of the thin connections.
5. The closure of claim 3, wherein the cross-sectional area of the anchor is in the range of 0.4 mm2 to 6 mm2 and the cross-sectional area of each of the thin connections is in the range of 0.05 mm2 to 0.5 mm2.
6. The closure of claim 3, wherein the cross-sectional area of the anchor is in the range of 0.4 mm2 to 0.6 mm2 and the cross-sectional area of each of the thin connections is in the range of 0.1 mm2 to 0.3 mm2.
7. The closure of claim 1, wherein the anchor has a width that is at least twice as wide as any of the thin connections.
8. The closure of claim 1, wherein: the anchor has a width in the range of 0.5 mm to 12 mm and the thin connections each have a width in the range of 0.1 mm to 1 mm, and the width of the anchor is greater than the width of each of the thin connections.
9. The closure of claim 7, wherein the closure portion has a circumference in the range of 70 mm to 100 mm.
10. The closure of claim 8, wherein the width of the anchor is in the range of 1 percent to 20 percent of the circumference of the anchor and the width of each of the thin connections is in the range of 0.1 percent to 2 percent of the circumference.
11. The closure of claim 8, wherein the width of the anchor is in the range of 1 percent to 3 percent of the circumference and the width of each of the thin connections is in the range of 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent of the circumference.
12. The closure of claim 1, wherein: the anchor has a width in the range of 1 mm to 5 mm and the thin connections each have a width in the range of 0.2 mm to 1 mm, and IVIA / a / ZUZÓ / UU 1I - 24 the width of the anchor is greater than the width of each of the thin connections.
13. The closure of claim 1, wherein: the thin connections are configured to break when a force above a predetermined first threshold is applied to the closing portion, and the predetermined first threshold is in the range of 2 to 15 N.
14. The closure of claim 12, wherein the anchor is configured to remain attached to the closure portion when the force applied to the closure portion is below a second predetermined threshold that is greater than the first predetermined threshold.
15. The closure of claim 13, wherein: the second default threshold is in the range of 10 to 25 N, and the second default threshold is greater than the first default threshold.
16. The closure of claim 1, wherein the anchor comprises a single piece of material extending between the tamper evidence strip and the closure portion.
17. The closure of claim 1, wherein the closure has a flow index in the range of 2 to 18.
18. The closure of claim 16, wherein the closure portion has a first flow index and the tamper evidence band has a second flow index that is less than the first flow index.
19. A closure for sealing the contents within the interior of a container, the closure comprising: a closure portion having internal threads configured to rotatably engage and disengage from the threads of a finishing portion, the internal threads having a thread pitch of less than 2 millimeters to reduce the distance traveled by the closure portion during disengagement from the threads of the finishing portion; a tamper evidence strip configured to remain engaged with the finishing portion when the closure portion is removed from the finishing portion; and an anchor connecting the closure portion to the tamper evidence strip, the anchor being configured to retain the closure portion attached to the tamper evidence strip when the closure portion is disengaged from the threads of the finishing portion.
20. The closure of claim 18, wherein the thread pitch is in a range of 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm.
21. The closure of claim 18, wherein the closure portion has a height in the range of 6 mm to 8 mm.